Sailing Los Angeles to San Francisco in November

[JPA Cate]

FWIW, Jim and I did this trip twice in his Yankee 30, only found it necessary to run the engine for getting the hook up, and entering an leaving harbors. Same stops as posted earlier in the thread. Just remember to factor in that the current as well as the wind are against you, so it takes longer.

He did the one tack out and one back method once, didn't like it much.

If there's a big swell running, Moro Bay entrance could be really dangerous, and should be sailed past, not attempted, even if it means tacking out to sea and carrying on.

Ann

[Doug Brown]

Hi - this is slightly different than what you plan to do, but a some of it does apply.

I took a 300-ft tramp containership from Cuba up to Seattle in February. My only cargo was a 65-ft military gunboat carried as deck cargo, and it was craddled on a total POS aluminum dry land storage cradle that would come apart if a seagull farted.

This was the only trip in 5-years that I did not guarantee my owners that I could get the cargo to the destination, so I had permission from them to "do what you can" to get it there in one piece if it all hit the fan.

I could make 12-kts (we weren't very fast!), so did have a speed advantage over you.

Now what applies to you:

By watching the weather fax reports like a hawk, it was possible to adjust my speed so that the ship was always on the right hand side of the approaching lows and I had either calms or southerly winds the entire Pacific coast leg of the trip - Panama to Seattle.

So REALLY watch the weather reports!!!!

I have been into Morro Bay on a couple of sailboats, and if you have any kind of weather it can be incredibly dangerous. So my 2-cents is to stop either before or after Morro Bay if you have to wait for the weather.

Make sure you carry extra fuel filters as it can be a bumpy trip, and be sure you know how to bleed your Volvo's fuel system if you have to change filters at sea. Carry a good (big) anchor and long rode in case everything goes wrong.

Take a crewmember or two so you can relax - make your life easy!

Good luck!